Edward Balls: Part two of the 18th report of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) is being published today, which reviews the appropriateness of the pay award for September 2009 and 2010 which was referred in June 2008. I am grateful for the careful consideration which the STRB has given to this matter. Copies of the report have been laid before Parliament today and my detailed response to it are available in the Vote Office, the Printed Paper Office, the Libraries of both Houses and at: www.teachernet.gov.uk/pay.
	The STRB has recommended that teachers' pay be increased by 2.3 per cent. from September 2009 and September 2010; with adjustments to the inner London pay scales from September 2009 and September 2010.
	I am grateful to the STRB for these recommendations which, subject to the statutory consultation process, I intend to accept and implement in full. These recommendations represent the second and third year of a three year pay award and confirm recommendations first made by the STRB in January 2008.
	I also note the STRB's recommendations for regular diversity and equality data collection; encouraging schools to use existing recruitment and retention flexibilities in shortage subjects; and consideration to be given to the introduction of new measures to improve the supply of mathematics teachers. My detailed response contains further information on all of these recommendations.
	(The following sets out the full set of recommendations from the School Teachers' Review Body and published in the 18th Report part two (Cm 7652) on 9 July 2009, together with the response from the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. The STRB's recommendations below are in bold.)

Edward Balls: Part two of the 18th report of the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) is being published today. It covers the review of teachers' pay which was referred to the STRB in June 2008. Copies of the report are available in the Vote Office, the Printed Paper Office and in the Libraries of both Houses and at: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/pay.
	In making its recommendations, the STRB was required to have regard to considerations as set out in the remit letter of 25 June 2008. This report reviews the appropriateness of the teachers' pay award for September 2009 and September 2010. It also makes recommendations about regular diversity and equality data collection; encouraging schools to use existing recruitment and retention flexibilities in shortage subjects; and consideration to be given to the introduction of new measures to improve the supply of mathematics teachers. I am grateful for the careful and detailed attention the STRB has given to these matters. I am inviting comments on the STRB's report and my response to its recommendations by 5 August 2009.
	Teachers' Pay
	The STRB has recommended:
	an increase of 2.3 per cent. from September 2009 and 2.3 per cent. from September 2010 in the values of the pay scales and allowances;
	that there be an adjustment to the main and upper pay scale for inner London as proposed in STRB's 17th report part one: a minimum starting salary of £26,000 for teachers in inner London from September 2009 and £27,000 from September 2010 and consequential adjustments to the main pay scale; and further enhancement in the value of the upper pay scale in inner London from September 2009 and September 2010.
	I am grateful to the STRB for conducting its review of teachers' pay and, subject to the statutory consultation process, I intend to accept and implement its recommendations in full. These recommendations represent the second and third year of a three year pay award and confirm recommendations first made by the STRB in January 2008.
	Other matters arising from the STRB's review
	The STRB has further recommended that the Department:
	undertake regular data collection and analysis to monitor developments in the teacher workforce related to issues of diversity and equality. This should include an ongoing review of matters relating to equal pay and of the extent to which the teaching profession reflects the diversity of the population it serves;
	should review and strengthen the ways it encourages schools to use existing recruitment and retention flexibilities to address local teacher shortages in mathematics and other priority subjects; and
	should consider the introduction of new financial and other incentives and measures to improve the quantity and quality of the supply of mathematics teachers. If asked to do so, the STRB would welcome the opportunity to explore the form these might take in a future remit.
	I agree with the STRB's recommendation about data collection and analysis. That is why my Department is developing the new School Workforce Census which will provide comprehensive data on an annual basis about the individual characteristics, contract details and pay of school teachers. The development is being piloted with a view to full live roll-out in 2010. The data collected from schools and local authorities in England will include age, gender, ethnicity, disability and qualifications—all at individual teacher level—to allow detailed analysis related to diversity and equality issues.
	I note that the STRB recommends that my Department should take steps to encourage schools to use existing recruitment and retention flexibilities to address teacher shortages in mathematics and other priority subjects at a local level. Following an earlier consultation on how best to encourage increased use of existing pay flexibilities, there was no appetite for any action plans or guidance or other communications. However, a note was added to the 2008 model pay policy, which states "Schools should consider making use of existing pay flexibilities within the school teachers' pay and conditions document—particularly to help with the recruitment of teachers of shortage subjects such as mathematics, science and, in Wales, Welsh. Schools will be expected to meet the costs of any payments from within the budgets they have available". I would like to invite consultees' views on whether any other strategies might usefully be adopted.
	I note that the STRB has also said that consideration should be given to the introduction of new measures to attract high quality mathematics teachers in the required numbers. While there is some evidence that the measures we have taken to increase recruitment to shortage subjects such as mathematics and science are working, I would prefer to return to this recommendation once I have further evidence of their impact. Meanwhile I would welcome consultees' ideas, in the context of the recently published 21st century schools White Paper, as to what might be acceptable forms of any such incentives or measures to improve the quality and quantity of mathematics teachers.

John Denham: Today I am announcing the successful proposals for England to receive a share of the migration impacts fund. The fund provides £35 million across the UK for 2009-10 financed by a levy on migrants and, subject to a review in the autumn, a similar amount in 2010-11. This money will be used to tackle illegal working practices and reduce local pressure on public services.
	This funding works alongside the Government's points based system which means only those migrants the country needs can come here. The money will be made available quickly and directly to local services across the country, including police, schools and hospitals.
	These front-line services, police, councils, the NHS and voluntary organisations have identified projects in their area that will make the biggest difference to insulating them and local people against the impact of migration.
	Every region of England will benefit, with the amount each receives being weighted towards the areas where international migration has had the greatest short-term impact.
	Projects receiving funding include those introducing tougher measures to crack-down on rogue employers, those creating more teachers in schools to ensure good results for all and those increasing GP registration to cut pressures on emergency services and A and E.
	Fairness in employment:
	The vast majority of employers are responsible but a small minority attempt to flout the law, undercut minimum wages and exploit low paid workers, many of whom are migrants. We are funding projects that will protect existing workers through enforcing the minimum wage and by increasing awareness of health and safety regulations ensuring all employees meet their obligations to all workers.
	Housing services:
	There is no evidence of unfair access to migrants in social housing. However, in some areas local authorities report concerns that the housing used by migrants can be overcrowded or in poor condition. This can lead to local tensions and cohesion issues. Funding is being targeted to this by cracking down on rogue landlords that will improve the quality of neighbourhoods for all residents.
	Children and young people:
	Funding will be targeted at those schools dealing with a sudden influx of pupils whose first language is not English. This will support extra multilingual teachers freeing up teaching time for the benefit of all the class and helping new arrivals to settle in
	quickly.
	More English language lessons:
	Being able to speak English is vital in order to find work and play a full role in the community. Funding provision through the MIF will mean that migrants will be paying for their own classes and ensure that they can access local services properly, reducing the pressure on services and the cost to public services from translation and interpretation.
	Community safety:
	Migrants to this country should understand our laws and sign up to our shared values. Funding will be provided for projects that tackle anti-social behaviour and will support extra police community support officers.
	Health:
	Local services report that migrants often do not understand how to access local healthcare in the most appropriate and therefore cheapest way. Funding will be targeted to increase GP registration relieving pressures on A and E.
	Every project has been assessed on the basis that it will help migrants integrate into local communities and in doing so benefit the settled community. The agreed grant allocation for this year will be paid in one instalment.

Paul Clark: The Government introduced restrictions on smoking in enclosed workplaces, public places and vehicles in England from 1 July 2007. These provisions are described in the Health Act 2006 and aim to save thousands of lives over the next decade by reducing both exposure to hazardous second-hand smoke and overall smoking rates.
	The Health Act 2006 includes provisions designed to prohibit smoking in enclosed public places and vehicles, but does not cover ships operating at sea or on inland waters. Therefore, the Government stated their intention to introduce similar provisions to provide protection from second-hand smoke for people on ships operating in UK waters (including the territorial sea and inland waters).
	In 2007, the Department for Transport held a consultation exercise seeking, first, views on how such restrictions should be applied. Following that consultation, draft regulations have now been produced and are being made available for public consultation from today.
	The draft regulations being consulted on are made under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. They will apply to all ships operating within the 12 mile UK territorial waters, which include inland waters, providing they carry passengers or employees, unless the ship is exercising the right of innocent passage or the right of transit passage through straits used for international navigation. These provisions will extend to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland so that a consistent set of UK restrictions can be applied.
	Smoking will be prohibited except in areas of the ship designated by the Master in accordance with the regulations which may include designated smoking cabins on cruise ships or passenger ferries. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency will hold the responsibility for enforcement of these provisions with a scale of penalties similar to those laid down in the Health Act.
	Pleasure vessels such as yachts, motor cruisers and small private fishing vessels, are exempted from the smoke free provisions. However, any such vessels carrying fare paying passengers or operating with an employed crew will fall into scope of the regulations.
	Copies of the consultation paper and draft regulations have been sent to a wide range of representatives in the shipping industry and they will have 12 weeks to respond to the consultation. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. Further copies of the consultation paper are available on the DfT website at: www.dft.gov.uk.